Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Sep 17, 2023 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 79 464 464 Osprey 3 34 34 Bald Eagle 5 48 48 Northern Harrier 11 219 219 Sharp-shinned Hawk 145 2739 2739 Cooper's Hawk 0 8 8 American Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 19520 74665 74665 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 11 50 50 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 87 699 699 Merlin 1 23 23 Peregrine Falcon 3 9 9 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 0 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 1 1 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 19865 78959 78959 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours Official Counter: Kevin Georg Observers: Andrew Sturgess, Bill Peregord, Don Sherwood, Mark Hainen, Michelle Peregord, Sam Heilman Visitors: We welcome visitors to our site and are very willing to share migration information, photography and ID tips with them. We have cards and pamphlets, so come and talk to us. However, during times of high traffic, requiring extra focus and concentration, we would respectfully ask that everyone use their indoor voices and allow us to fulfill our mission to the best of our abilities. Thank you. Weather: We are often asked when is the best time to see the raptors pass in migration. There is no correct answer to that question. Today, we had nearly twenty thousand broadwings pass over us. Over twelve thousand came in one hour between 10:00 am and 11:00 am. If you were there, you saw one of the most glorious sights in hawk watching, massive numbers of birds kettling and streaming overhead in some of the best views we have seen this year, and many others. Then, a lapse until 2:00 pm through 4:00 pm, but those birds were smaller in number, much higher, and were difficult to locate and follow. The forecast was once again for light winds. The predictions always show them coming from one direction, but in reality, they are variable and liable to box the compass in direction, falling to less than zero as those directions change. Given that we depend on the kindness of stranger winds, we can merely hope for the best on those days. Luckily, we hit the NE wind jackpot in the morning hours. Rain was also forecast today, but the details kept changing as the day progressed. It finally came in the form of big crocodile tears at 4:00 pm. Temperatures did get above seventy today by a few, but increasing cloud cover in the form of icy cirrus at first, but increasingly larger, darker and more malevolent cumulus clouds that finally broke open at the end of the watch kept the warmth in check. The barometer was falling as the rain approached but will start to climb tomorrow. Raptor Observations: We usually use the seventeenth of the month as a baseline for when the broadwings will move, as in “the seventeen, give or take a few days”. Luckily for the attendants that came to the site from Hawk Fest at the right time, it was a very rewarding date. We totaled 19,520 in two large movements, the first in the morning, and the second at the end of the day. One movement was spectacular, the other, not nearly as obvious and was seen against a different backdrop of darker clouds making it more difficult to see. Both of those movements happened when the winds shifted to NE during its variable periods. Sharpies seemed to lose their spirit as the Lions lost in OT. The morning traffic was higher but still off the numbers of the last few days. We managed 145, but the last two hours they were actually outpaced by the kestrels. Kestrels were in their usual neighborhood of seventy to eighty birds with eighty-seven present and accounted for. The turkey vultures picked up the pace today with seventy-nine birds. Eagles and ospreys were still moving with five and three respectively. Northern harriers went to mass today and were off the pace with eleven showing up. Eleven red-tails were tallied. Falcons were present in all the species that we normally see, with one merlin and three peregrines noted. Non-raptor Observations: Our pelicans were out in bigger numbers again with over thirty counted in two groups. Despite their huge wingspans, they are difficult birds to count as they split off in smaller groups and overlap in constantly changing formations. We saw a flight of about twenty redhead ducks nearby today, the different, tighter formation than the usual mallards catching our eye. The sandhill crane couple was greeting us on the drive in again today. Long strings of migrating ducks are being seen off in the eastern sky. The blue jays have not been seen migrating in numbers yet, but a resident bird is frequently scolding something nearby, perhaps us. Predictions: We have stronger northern winds predicted tomorrow and the barometer will be rising on the backside of the rain system. The last few days have had variable, feeble winds with no conviction or energy, tomorrow seems to promise a little more robust, consistent wind. The temperatures will drop as the north winds bring in cooler Canadian air. NW seems to be the chosen direction so it may be a Holiday Beach and Pte. Mouille kind of day as the winds will hit the nine-mph range. Skies should be clearing overnight, although there will be some leftovers from today. Hopefully, another rewarding day, but you may have to choose your spots carefully. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (ajyes72@gmail.com) Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org More site information at hawkcount.org: https://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=285 Count data submitted via Dunkadoo - Project info at: https://dunkadoo.org/explore/detroit-river-international-wildlife-refuge/detroit-river-hawk-watch-fall-2023